THE LESSER PRAIRIE HEN 



{Tympanuchus pallidicinctus.) 



The Lesser Prairie Hen is an inhabit- 

 ant of the southern United States. It 

 has a limited range which probably ex- 

 tends from southern and western Texas 

 northward through the Indian Territory 

 to Kansas and westward of the eastern 

 edge of the Great Plains. It is a prairie 

 bird and seldom resorts to forest areas 

 except during stormy periods. 



The habits, especially during the nest- 

 ing season, of the Lesser Prairie Hens 

 are very similar to those of the well- 

 known prairie hen or pinnated grouse. 

 The nesting sites usually selected are on 

 the ground in areas of thick prairie 

 grass or at the base of bushes in areas 

 which are devoid of tall grass. The 

 nest is only a slight excavation scratched 

 in the ground by the birds and lined with 

 handy materials such as grasses and 

 feathers. As is the case with the prairie 

 hen, it is probable that many nests and 

 their contents are destroyed by prairie 

 fires in dry seasons, or by floods during 

 wet seasons, as some of the nests are 

 placed near the borders of marshes. The 

 destruction of the nests of the Lesser 

 Prairie Hen by fire and water is not 

 nearly so great as is the case of its 

 better known and more widely distribut- 

 ed relative, the common prairie hen or 

 pinnated grouse. It has been estimated 

 that the loss of eggs of the latter birds 

 amounts to fifty per cent through de- 



struction by fire and water alone. 



The love-making of the male Lesser 

 Prairie Hens, in the spring, is said to 

 be very similar to that of the males of 

 the common prairie hens. The season 

 of courtship is in the early morning 

 when the males gather in some open 

 place and pass through a most interest- 

 ing performance in the presence of the 

 females which have gathered. The 

 males have a patch of naked skin on 

 each side of the neck. These patches 

 of skin cover sacs which can be greatly 

 enlarged by. the birds blowing them 

 full of air whenever they choose. In 

 front of these areas there is a bunch of 

 long feathers which, when the birds are 

 excited, are thrown forward. The sacs 

 and feathers are ornaments which are 

 thoroughly displayed at the love feasts. 

 There is much strutting and considerable 

 noise, until finally the females begin to 

 show some interest and pairing begins. 

 The love feasts are usually repeated for 

 several mornings before all the birds 

 are mated. Nesting follows very soon 

 after the birds are paired. The young 

 are cared for by the female who is very 

 devoted to them. They leave the nest 

 very soon after they are hatched and 

 their food consists of insects, chiefly 

 grasshoppers, whenever they are abund- 

 ant. Later in the season they feed upon 

 cereals and small wild seeds and berries. 



WE SEE AS WE ARE 



In all of Nature, Life, and Art, 



We see things vile or sweet beyond compare, 

 And hate or love each place or part 



According as ourselves are foul or fair. 



— Jac Lowell. 



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